Matt Smith says Philip is the ‘most popular of them all’ among palace staff

By Meaghan Wray

August 24, 2018

Matt
Smith
may be
relinquishing his spot beside the throne for the upcoming season of
The Crown, but it’s clear that his
character,
Prince
Philip
, will
always hold a place in his heart – and the hearts of palace staff, apparently!
The British actor recently opened up about the royal’s popularity, saying he’s long
held the honour of Palace’s Most Popular.

Taking on
such an esteemed role is no easy feat, so the 35-year-old had to dig deep and extensive
research proved quite interesting and perhaps surprising to those who have been
fans of
the
Royal Family
for
quite some time. “All the research I did found him to be brilliantly funny,
very clever, very popular,” the British actor revealed to
Variety. “In the royal house, he’s the most
popular of them all. If you’ve talked to any of the staff, Philip’s the one
they all love really.” And he’s had quite a while to foster close bonds with
staff, having officially married
the
Queen
and moved
into the palace way back in 1947.

Anyone
knowledgeable in royal history – or anyone who’s at least watched the first two
seasons of
The Crown – should be
familiar with the 93-year-old’s rebellious nature. Matt figures this could have
something to do with his likeability around Buckingham Palace! “The royal
protocol hasn’t dogged him in quite the same way his whole life and there’s a
sort of rebellion in him and a naughtiness and a cheekiness,” the Emmy
nominated actor explained. “I think he’s quite affable and open by all accounts
with the staff. They all love him.”

The Queen and Philip have been married for 70 years

While making
a TV show depicting such a famous family may be nerve wracking, the
Doctor Who star thinks it’s been great
for the family – and has an intriguing idea for
Meghan Markle, the newly minted Duchess of Sussex.
“I think it’s definitely changed the perception of the royal family … And
Meghan can play Meghan,” he joked. “One of the interesting challenges for me
was that I felt there was a sort of misconception and a preconception about
[Philip], which reduced him a bit … He’s a bit more of a man of the people.”

Well, Prince
Philip can count one more on his list of fans, but perhaps not the other way
around. Matt shared that his friend, while at a dinner party, asked Philip if he
watches the show. The royal simply responded: “Don’t be ridiculous.”

Don't miss a beat with HELLO! Canada's Daily Hits newsletter, your daily dose of royal and celebrity news, fashion, weddings and more.
CLICK HERE to sign up for free!